Choices
by TsuirakuMitsukai
Summary: A sad one-shot about the final battle and the role Draco plays in it. Review for I am a dirty review whore.


**AN-** This is a sad one-shot. THERE WILL BE NO MORE OF THIS STORY BECAUSE IT IS A _ONE-SHOT_! I am pretty tired of people asking me for more. If there were more, I would have put it. Sorry for the outburst, but it really is annoying. Anyways, I have made some minor changes to the story, nothing big. I changed it to present tense and fixed some mistakes. Okay, okay, I added a bit to the last few paragraphs, but hey.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP. Get over it.

**Choices **

I stare at the carnage around me in shock. I had been preparing for this all my life, and yet, I'm not ready for the destruction and mayhem surrounding me. It is the final battle, supposedly the salvation of the wizarding world. My father had been waiting for this day with glee and pride. I had felt the same until it began. I am completely unprepared for the death and butchery that overcomes my classmates as I stand there in a daze, knowing I should help, but not being able to move no matter how hard I try. I hadn't exactly cared for them, but Merlin. No one deserved this. No one.

I am still standing there in shock when a voice cries out, "Draco! Help me!" Pansy Parkinson's voice is cut off with an abrupt scream. I freeze. Pansy had been a Death Eater... They had killed her anyway... Pansy was _dead._ My mind is numb as I rush over to her body. Her eyes are glassy and wide with fear and pain. I brush a finger over her cheek in a loving gesture, my fingers shaking. Pansy had been my best friend. I stand in a daze, waves of anger flowing through me. They are all ruthless bastards who were going to kill anyone and everyone they came across. I only wish that I had realized that before now. Before Pansy had been killed by her own allies. It was too bad that it took pain, death, and suffering to show me that my whole life was a mistake.

"Malfoy!" It is a voice I knew all too well. I turn slowly to see Granger running toward me. Her wand is out, her curly honey-colored hair flying everywhere. When she comes close enough I can see that her chocolate eyes are full of controlled panic and determination. She looks straight at me with no fear and asks a question that I don't even know the answer to.

"Which side are you on?" There is a long moment of silence between the two of us, before an explosion racks the earth. Hermione whirls around, not after giving me one last look, and runs toward the blast. I hesitate before following her. Whose side _am _I on?

What I see when I reach the site of the explosion takes my breath away, and definitely not in a good way. Bodies of children littering the ground, blood splattered everywhere, Death Eaters positively gleaming with pleasure. They had just murdered over a hundred first and second years and they are _happy!_ I feel rage flow throughout my entire body. My hand reaches for my wand, but again I hesitate before pulling it out. Istare at the 11 inch, ebony wand. How could I turn against what I had been raised to believe?

My choices are made for me as I see Death Eaters grab Hermione, who had bravely and foolishly rushed right at them. They are laughing and jeering at her, pulling at her clothes as she screams. Before I realize it, I shout hexes and curses at the band of Death Eaters trying to molest Hermione. A couple of minutes later, a good many are unconscious and several others are running. The son of Lucius Malfoy knew too many various terrifying hexes to mess with. I feel a small wave of pride, but I brush it aside as I run over to Hermione's limp body lying on the bloody ground. Unexpected fear and panic rushes through me at the thought that she might be dead.

Thankfully, I see that she isn't dead or even unconscious. She is staring at the corpses of the children littering the blood soaked soil, tears streaming down her face. All the death and stress must have gotten to her. I probably would have been crying also, however, I am still a Malfoy, no matter how wrong my father is. I wordlessly put my arms around her, trying to comfort her as best I can. I hadn't had many experiences with these types of things, but it seemed to be working as she put her arms around me and began to sob openly into my shoulder. Well, maybe it didn't work. I am in too much shock to even try thinking more complex thoughts.

Without a word, Hermione wipes away her tears, inadvertently smearing blood on her cheek. I stand and help her up also. No words are needed as a look of understanding passes through each of us. We once again hear an explosion and immediately rush toward the site together.

As we run, Hermione's hand somehow finds mine and grips it tightly. I squeeze back, wondering why I am doing this, but at the same time not caring. We reach the destination, our hold never breaking. Harry is standing in the wreckage, blood seeping from a cut on his forehead, wand in hand. He isn't alone, though. Voldemort stands facing him, a malicious sneer on his snake-like face. His disturbingly red eyes are glowing with contempt. Harry is panting as he struggles to keep going.

Next to me, Hermione gives a loud gasp as she sees Ron's lifeless body lying in the carnage. She gives a silent sob against my shoulder. I gently let my fingers brush across her face in an endearing gesture before gently pulling her chin up to make her look at me. I look into her eyes and apologize. I apologize for Weasley's death, for the death of the children, for my behavior all these years, for wanting her so badly and never doing anything about it, for _everything_. I give into temptation and let my lips softly touch hers. She doesn't fight, doesn't scream, doesn't faint. She responds with fervor, and in that moment I know that I should have done this long ago. Perfect moments have to end, so I release her lips from mine. After one last look, I start making my way toward the dueling pair, intending to help Harry, if only to defeat Voldemort, my ex-mentor.

I am almost right next to them when Voldemort shoots a Cruciatus curse at Harry, who nimbly dodges it, despite his weariness. However, he isn't prepared for the Killing Curse, which comes right after it, heading straight for the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Pain-In-My-Arse. In one long, incredible, slow motion moment, I look at Hermione and try to express my feelings through my eyes.I feel my heart leap with joy as I see the love and admiration in her eyes, directed at me. Instantly a wave of panic is clouding her eyes as she realizes what is going to happen. She screams and starts to run towards me. With a last wistful smile I turn away from her, jumping straight into the path of the curse. I feel a sharp pain hit me in the back as I look into the shocked emerald eyes of Harry Potter. I smile feebly at him before falling to the ground.

In an instant, I am encompassed in a bright green light, almost the same shade as Potter's eyes. I can see the living world on one side of me, Harry still staring at me in shock. One my other side is soft darkness. I am still for one long moment. Then, there is a flicker, and I am gone.


End file.
